


Five Times Kirk Suprises Spock.

by ClockworkQuill



Series: Surprises Verse [3]
Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: 5+1 Things, Background Relationships, Demiromantic Character, Demiromantic Jim Kirk, I lied Jim is much more WTFromantic than demi, James T. Kirk/Carol Marcus (brief) - Freeform, Jealous Spock, Jim Has Issues, Kirk/Bones QPR, Miscommunication, Not Beta Read, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Pining Spock, Sassmaster Spock, Spock makes assumtions, Vulcan Sass
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-16
Updated: 2018-02-21
Packaged: 2019-03-05 20:09:49
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 978
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13395339
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ClockworkQuill/pseuds/ClockworkQuill
Summary: Pretty self explanatory title. Same 'Verse as Five Times Kirk Surprises Uhura and Five Times Kirk Surprises Bones. Mostly excuse for headcannons and universe exploring.





	1. 1 Chess

**Author's Note:**

> Chapter Summary:  
> Jim and Spock play Chess

“Spock, care to join me for a game of chess?”

“Captain?” 

“Call me Jim Spock, we’re off duty.”

“Affirmative Captain.”

Jim laughed, and Spock nearly stopped walking. The sound was beautiful. He wanted to hear more of it, though he couldn’t say why. It was fascinating and would require attention during his next bout of meditation. “Rec Room 3 has a board we could use.”

“That would be adequate Captain."

“Jim.”

“Captain Jim.”

Jim laughed again, and Spock had to adjust his physiological controls to keep a flush from his cheeks. “Whoever said Vulcans don’t have a sense of humor, clearly hasn’t met you Spock.” Really Spock must investigate the source of his reactions to the Captain as soon as he could meditate. Ideally he should meditate immediately, but it had been a long time since anyone had willingly played chess with him. 

Upon reaching the Rec room Jim had Spock enter first, urging him in with one arm, the other came behind Spock’s back. Kirk’s hand barely brushed Spock’s Science blues before Kirk pulled his hand away. “Sorry. No touching, right.” 

It wasn’t quite a question, so Spock did not bother to answer it, instead simply stated “Apologies are illogical Captain.” 

“White or Black?” Kirk asked, retrieving and beginning to set up the 3D chess board.

“You may play white, I estimate you shall need the advantage.”

“Don’t be so sure Spock,” Kirk said, taking white just the same. “You only have evidence for one half of the equation, you’ve never seen me play.”

“Chess is a game of logic Captain, as such as a Vulcan-”

“You’ve got an advantage?” There was a certain edge to his voice Spock didn’t quite know how to interpret. Something between amusement and something similar but not quite cockiness.

“Indeed Captain.”

“I’ll let you know, I am quite good at chess.”

As the game drew on more and more people came to watch. Occasionally Spock and Kirk would talk, but with onlookers both the Captain and himself seemed or infact was more than content with the quiet. Spock found the game quite challenging. Each time he thought he had figured out Kirk’s strategy, the Captain would do something seemingly illogical that Spock had not even thought to prepare for. And somehow…

“Checkmate,” Kirk smirked, leaning back in his chair.

Spock looked down at the board. Kirk was correct, of course. He had been checkmated. And Spock had not seen it coming. “How?” Spock asked as he tipped over his king.

Kirk laughed.


	2. 2 Disappointments

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dr. McCoy interrupts a chess game, Spock makes assumptions, gratuitous use of slightly modified Vulcan, and Spock makes more assumptions.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was 95% just an excuse to use queer vulcan terminology.
> 
> Shout out to my friend [ Conlang Calligraph ](https://conlangcalligraph.tumblr.com) for her work as translator and my resident Vulcan expert. Also if you're on the look out for Vulcan calligraphy, circular Galifreyan or other nerdy conlang swag, definitely go check her work out.
> 
> Also, heads up, Spock is a wee bit out of character here. I'm going with the excuse he's still dealing with the loss of Vulcan.

Their chess games became a regular occurrence after that, much to Spock’s pleasure, not that he would admit to feeling pleasure. The games quickly moved to one or the other’s quarters, where they could play in quiet away from prying eyes. Spock much preferred this. Kirk was more open when it was just the two of them, he smiled, he laughed more readily. It was illogical, but Spock could not help being drawn to that smile, that laugh, especially when it was directed at him alone.

 

During one of their biweekly chess games Spock was unprepared for Dr. McCoy to come into the Captain’s quarters, grumble about something, and kiss Kirk on the cheek. The amount of affection and emotion the doctor put into the word “Darlin’,” addressing Kirk made Spock feel indecent, almost voyeuristic. The way Kirk’s eye lit up when he looked at the doctor, the way he smiled at the man… 

 

Spock excused himself and meditated until his next shift began, not even stopping to sleep or eat. Packing away what he eventually identified as jealousy was more difficult than Spock had expected. More difficult than packing away even the violence-inducing anger he so struggled with during periods of his youth. And its source, his illogical reactions to Kirk, Spock still was not able to comprehend. 

 

Spock had avoided the Captain outside their duties since, until Kirk stepped into to turbolift with him after alpha shift.

 

“So Spock, chess again after dinner?”

 

Spock was unsure if he wanted to do chess again. He yearned to spend time alone with the captain again. He enjoyed the intellectual challenge of chess with Kirk. But his emotional control had been severly compromised last time. Instead Spock found himself saying “Are you in a romantic relationship with Dr. McCoy.”

 

Kirk blinked at spock for a full 38 seconds. “No. I’m ri-ashausu.”

 

Spock raised an eyebrow. He had not expected Kirk to know vulkhansu, and especially not such a rarely used term. Presence or lack of romantic attraction was rarely a factor in Vulcan marriages.

 

“We’re sort of in a relationship,” Kirk continued when Spock said nothing. “It’s called a QPR, a queerplatonic relationship. It’s like friends but more I guess. A lot of people don’t consider that dating, especially being we both see other people from time to time.”

 

Spock was unsure quite how he was reacting. He was reacting to this news both physically and emotionally, violently so. He hid his hands behind his back, to hide fists clenched tight. There was a sense of devastation that washed over him, not quite like when Spock had lost his mother, but not entirely dissimilar either. Like Spock had lost something incredibly special, incredibly important before it had even begun. 

 

Jim already had a T’hy’la.

 

Jim could not be his.

 

Spock had never considered the prospect of Jim, perhaps, maybe being his T’hy’la before. The bond had become so rare. Is that what his counterpart had meant by their ‘life changing friendship’? Selik had to be wrong. 

 

“Not tonight Captain,” Spock says as the turbolift reaches the deck with officer’s quarters. Spock can see some of his disappointment, his devastation in Jim’s eyes and he doesn’t know why. Jim didn’t even bother correcting the use of his rank while they were off duty. “Perhaps we can reschedule. I need to meditate.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Translations:
> 
> ri-ashausu - aromantic (person)

**Author's Note:**

> Originally I wanted this to be chronological, but we'll see how that plays out. 
> 
> Comments, Kudos, or suggestions on moments you want to see between Kirk and Spock apprecented. 
> 
> You can now visit me at [ clockwork-quill ](https://clockwork-quill.tumblr.com) on Tumblr.


End file.
